What is Nitrate, or Saltpetre?
The raw material of nitrate is a centimetres thick layer of stone in the Atacama Desert, called caliches, which contains a high concentration of salts and nitrates. The Atacama Desert is unique in the world in having these caliches, and they are concentrated in an area called Pampa de Tamarugal. The caliches are the result of extreme climatological circumstances in the region. In this part of South America, the Andes Mountains lack an extensive river system to carry waste material to sea. Instead the meltwater trickles westward through porous rock until it hits the impenetrable layer of rock of the coastal mountains. Here the water resurfaces and evaporates, leaving salts and nitrates that accumulate to form thick layers [Wereldwijzer Chili, by Henk Filippo, EAN 9789038918099]. document.getElementById(‘adsense_placeholder_2’).innerHTML = document.getElementById(‘adsense_ad_2_hidden’).innerHTML; The History of Nitrate Mining in Chile In 1808-1809 large deposits of saltpetre were discove
